The Olive-Egger thread!

[Manningjw]

That was a simple one that shows 4 genes, blue or white and brown. However brown isn't a simple single gene, there are at least 12 that combine to do it. It turns the numbers astronomical.

Very true and a good point. Even crossing "pure" BCM chickens to other BCM the eggs are often lighter than the parent stock for the first generation (from what I have read) because of the complexity of genes/interaction between the genes.

This is part of the reason why I like dealing with blue egg layers where there is only 1 (really 2 but the other doesn't exist in the USA or Europe) genes that control blue egg genes - except matte vs shiny shells which does impact color but to a limited extent.

 

[Lisa81]

I recently hatched eggs that I ordered off of ebay. The hen is just an Easter Egger and the rooster is a Black Copper Maran. I'm hoping from this I get Olive Eggers.

 

[laurianne]

I recently hatched eggs that I ordered off of ebay. The hen is just an Easter Egger and the rooster is a Black Copper Maran. I'm hoping from this I get Olive Eggers.

I have 1 pullet from this exact same cross from a gal who lives close to me. She hasn't started laying yet, but I am hoping for the same result!!

 

[Lisa81]

I have 1 pullet from this exact same cross from a gal who lives close to me. She hasn't started laying yet, but I am hoping for the same result!!

Please let me know, mine are only 2 weeks old and I can't tell yet if they are hens. What do yours look like? Mine are starting to grow black wings with a few rows of white feathers at the end of their wing.

 

[laurianne]

Please let me know, mine are only 2 weeks old and I can't tell yet if they are hens. What do yours look like? Mine are starting to grow black wings with a few rows of white feathers at the end of their wing.

Mine is 23 weeks. I hope she starts laying soon but with the decreasing light she just may wait until next spring (I don't supplement with light in the fall and winter). She looks like a BCM: lightly feathered legs, black body, gold neck, but she has a big fluffy beard like the easter egger. I can take a picture of her later this afternoon for you. I was convinced she was a rooster for about 12 weeks, lol. She has weird tail feathers growing and she was crazy.

 

[Lisa81]

Mine is 23 weeks. I hope she starts laying soon but with the decreasing light she just may wait until next spring (I don't supplement with light in the fall and winter). She looks like a BCM: lightly feathered legs, black body, gold neck, but she has a big fluffy beard like the easter egger. I can take a picture of her later this afternoon for you. I was convinced she was a rooster for about 12 weeks, lol. She has weird tail feathers growing and she was crazy.

I love the beards they grow but so far it doesn't look like mine are going to have it. Here are my 2.

 

[laurianne]

I love the beards they grow but so far it doesn't look like mine are going to have it. Here are my 2.

.
Mine had puffy cheeks when she hatched

 

[Lisa81]

.
Mine had puffy cheeks when she hatched

SO CUTE
I'm sure these won't get those cute puffy cheeks or beard but as long as they are hens that lay green eggs, I don't care what they look like.

 

[hyzenthlay]

Breeding f1 x f1

So, seeing your chart and playing with the numbers to obtain pure blue dark carrier I came to the following proportions, including 1/16 for the pure blue dark carrier. Someone tell me if I am wrong in the proportions. (I used the term White Tan. I know it should be “No Tan” for white eggs, but just for better illustrating, I used the word White. Oh, and please correct the names I gave to the colors resulting from the gen combinations.

Supposing I used:
Marans (BSM) = SwSw + TmTm
Ameraucana (Am) = SbSb + TwTw

Whereas:
S = Shell (Sb=Blue Shell; Sw=White Shell)
T = Tan (Tm=Brown Tan; Tw= White Tan [or No Tan])

Marans x Ameraucana

100% SwSb + TmTw

Light Green Olive Egger (f1)

If I cross f1xf1 I should have

(SwSbTwTm x SwSbTwTm)





Light Green Olive Egger (f1)
x
Light Green Olive Egger (f1)​

SwSwTwTw

Totally white Egger
SwSwTwTm

Light brown Egger
SwSwTmTw

Light brown Egger
SbSbTmTm

Pure BS Marans
SwSbTwTw

Light blue Egger
SwSbTwTm

Light Green Olive Egger
SwSbTmTw

Light Green Olive Egger
SwSbTmTm

Dark Green Olive Egger
SbSwTwTw

Light blue Egger
SbSwTwTm

Light Green Olive Egger
SbSwTmTb

Light Green Olive Egger
SbSwTmTm

Dark Green Olive Egger
SbSbTwTw

Pure Ameraucana
SbSaTwTm

Deep Green Olive Egger
SbSbTmTw

Deep Green Olive Egger
SbSbTmTm

Pure Blue/Dark carrier

This is a helpful exercise for those of us trying to start to understand egg color genetics, even if it is simplified compared to the brown egg gene reality!

Here's a related question. If I breed an F1 OE to a blue egg layer (ameraucana), are the roosters from that pairing guaranteed to throw either blue or green egg layers in the next generation? And if I breed an F1 OE to a dark brown egg layer (Marans), will the roosters from that pairing throw all green eggers in the next generation, or also some dark brown?

The reason I'm asking is if I breed my OE roo to my Ameraucana or Marans this spring, and I want to keep only the pullets, how can I label/market the cockerels I am trying to find new homes for? Can I say they'll produce green eggers if paired with EEs, Ameraucanas, or Marans? Before I embark on this breeding journey, I want to be as sure as possible that I'll have a good chance of finding homes for the boys, since we don't have a freezer camp here!

 

[Spinning Carrie]

Do OE'S egg color change drastically? The bottom row starting at the green egg and moving right are from my only OE (a legbar / rhodebar cross ) . We know the blue on the far right is hers because she was in the nest box this morning and we waited for her to finish when we checked. I have two legbars, and I've gotten three blue eggs the last two days.
Thanks!